Love Through Grief
by The Fakhouri Legacy
Summary: One death...that's sometimes all it takes to change people...Especially for the ones closest to Lisanna. This is the story of how their view of each other changed as they worked through the grief..and after. (Mira/Natsu, Smart!Natsu, Powerful!Natsu, Rating M)
1. Loss

*Fakhouri grumbles as she continues working on the mess in her studio.*

Fakhouri: "I swear next time I have writers block...I'm hiring a maid..."

*Cameraman coughs. Fakhouri blinks before turning to the Camera*

Fakhouri: "What?"

Cameraman: "New story.."

Fakhouri: "Oh...right.."

*She stands up and walks over to the somehow cleaned off desk. She sits and a cloud of dust comes from the cushions of the chair.

Fakhouri: *Coughing* "Damnit...Anyways...Welcome to my second story but my first Fairy Tail fanfic so..forgive me now for my less than stellar telling of it. I got the idea while trying to write my other story and now its bugged me so much that I decided to go with it..."

*She leans on the desk resting her elbows.*

Fakhouri: "You will also notice that this isn't an original idea. So forgive me also for any cliches I play on...Anyways its time to get this show on the road so first up the disclaimer!"

*She pushes a button on her desk and a plume of smoke appears in the middle of the room.*

?: "What the hell!? Where the hell am I?"

Fakhouri: "Natsu Dragneel!"

Natsu: 'Who the hell are you!?"

Fakhouri: "FakhouriLegacy at your service.."

Natsu: "...And what am I doing here..."

Fakhouri: "Say a disclaimer."

Natsu: "..Oook..This crazy chick doesn't own Fairy Tail..."

Fakhouri: "Enjoy the story..."

* * *

*Magnolia - Southern Gate Park - X782*

"Oh come on just one more!"

"No, Happy. If I gave you anymore, Lisanna won't have any.."

The blue cat frowned before sighing, "Fine..." He leans back against the tree while a salmon haired teen munched on his sandwich with another on his lap. Happy glanced at the teen with curious eyes, "So why are we meeting Lisanna here and not at the guild, Natsu?"

Natsu swallowed and smirked, "Because it's been awhile since we all had some time together without a guild brawl happening."

"And?"

"And what?"

Happy looked at him with a slightly raised brow, "There has to be more than that, Natsu."

Natsu chuckled slightly, "What if I said there isn't another reason?"

"I'd call bullshit."

Natsu sighed before reaching into his vest inside pocket and pullout out a folded piece of paper. He handed it to Happy, "I was going to ask her if she wanted to go on a job with us."

Happy blinked before taking the paper and unfolding it. After reading it he said in a questioning tone, "Us and the Takeover Team? That's a little overkill for a simple beast extermination job..."

Natsu sat up as he spotted a spot of white hair coming down the farthest path to the park, "No. Just us and Lisanna. Plus if you want over kill, get Mira and Erza to do it..."

Happy nodded as he folded it back up and handed it to Natsu, "Aye...That would do it..."

Natsu smirked as he tucked the job request in his vest when he say a figure jogging up to them, "Natsu! Happy!". He waved at the figure as it came closer and it became more clear that it was in fact Lisanna, "About time, Lisanna. I was about to give this sandwich to Happy." He quickly clamps a hand over Happy's mouth, who was about to retort.

She smiles softly, "Yeah..Sorry Natsu. Mira stopped me on the way out of the guild" Natsu tossed the sandwich to Lisanna, who caught it.

"Oh really what about?"

Lisanna took a bite of the sandwich, a small twinkle in her eye, "She just asked Elfman and me if we wanted to accompany her on an S class mission!" She continued eating her sandwich, not noticing Natsu tensing up slightly.

Happy, however, did and frowned slightly. Natsu forced a convincing smile on his face, "Really!? That's great!" Lisanna smiled as she finished her sandwich. Natsu stood up, prompting Happy to start using his wings, "So when do you leave?"

"Right now."

Natsu and Lisanna turned to face the newcomer . Natsu sighed mentally as he noticed it was Mirajane and Elfman. Mirajane was smirking with her hands on her hips. SHe was wearing a revealing purple top and skin tight black short shorts. Her white hair done up into a ponytail. Elfman stood behind her at least a head taller than her smirking also.

"Really Mira?!"

Mira nodded, "Yep."

Lisanna sighed before smiling, "Alright Mira.."

Natsu forced another smile onto his face, "Man I wish I was going...Hey! Is there any way I could tag along?!"

Mira scoffed, "Sorry shit for brains but I don't think so."

Natsu winced at the insult, "Oh..."

"But we'll be back soon so you'll get to spent time with your girlfriend soon enough."

Mira laughed as both of the teens turned beet red.

"S-s-is!"

"I-uh-eh!

Elfman sighed as Mira continued to laugh, "Great...You broke them..." He grabbed the back of both of his sisters collars and started dragging them to the train station, "See ya around Natsu!"

Lisanna had steam coming out of her ears while Natsu finally snapped out of it and smiled, "Good luck, ya bastard!"

He waved at the shrinking figures until they were out of sight. He then sighed...

"You're really just going to let it go at that?"

Natsu nodded, "Yeah..Anyways lets go get ready. We have a long walk ahead of us."

"Not going to take the train, eh?"

Natsu glared at him, "The death machine shall not be mentioned..."

Happy just chuckled as he floated with along with Natsu to his home.

* _Three days later - Magnolia - Fairy Tail Guild Hall - Outside*_

Natsu smirked as he walked up to the guild hall with Happy, "That was a easy one! I swear the request made it sound quite a bit harder!"

"Aye!"

He pushed the door open, "Hey guys I'm...Home..."

The sight before him was not the jovial and brass guild hall... Everyone was crying and the mood was somber. As he looked around he spotted Mira with her arm in a cast and Elfman with his head down. But he failed to see Lisanna, "..Mira..."

Mira looked at Natsu and he was shocked...For she was crying, _'But Mira never cries!'_

"Natsu..."

"Where's Lisanna?"

He noticed a few members tense and sobbed quietly out of his peripheral vision. Mira was barely able to answer his question, "She's..She's.."

Natsu's eyes widened as Mira finished.

"She's dead.."

Natsu's blood ran cold, "Lisanna's.."

His mind flashed to the smiling face of his best friend.

"..Dead?"

* * *

Fakhouri: "And there is the first chapter. For now I'm making subtle changes but believe me when we get to the main story that is where the divergence with be more...noticable. This is just a decent starting popint in my opinion."

Fakhouri: "Anywho If you want someone to do the disclaimer send a PM or in a review! So review, follow, and NO FLAMES! Until next time.."

 **JA NE!**


	2. Grief

*Fakhouri sits at her desk cleaned but the rest of the studio had a layer of dust...still..*

Fakhouri: "When I first posted this story just like my other story I wasn't expecting much...So when I saw the interest my brain overrode my instinct to write on my other story instead of a new chapter for this one. Anyways I am grateful that there is interest in this story. So in response to reviews here is our person saying the disclaimer!"

*She pushes a button on her desk and a plume of smoke and dust appears*

?: "What the?"

Fakhouri: "Mirajane Strauss!"

Mirajane: "What am I doing here?

Fakhouri: "I need you to say a disclaimer."

Mirajane: "Oh ok."

Fakhouri: *Blinks* "Really? No questions or anything?!"

Mirajane: "Not really."

Fakhouri: "Ok then...Just say the disclaimer and you can leave."

Mirajane: *Nods before giving an eerily calm smile* This fucker doesn't own shit." *She then disappears in a similar fashion*

Fakhouri: "SON OF A-!"

* * *

 _*Last Time*_

 _Natsu's eyes widened as Mira finished._

 _"She's dead.."_

 _Natsu's blood ran cold, "Lisanna's.."_

 _His mind flashed to the smiling face of his best friend._

 _"..Dead?"_

 _*Two Days Later - Magnolia Cemetery*_

Mirajane stared at the gravestone on the ironic cloudy day.

 _Lisanna Strauss  
_ _Beloved sister and a friend of animal souls  
X768-X782_

The funeral service for Lisanna ended about an hour ago and everyone besides herself and Happy were left. Even Elfman left to seriously consider his life's path as a mage...

However..

"Happy?"

..there was one person who she had yet to see even show up to Lisanna's grave.

"Where's Natsu?"

During the entire service whenever she wasn't focused on Lisanna, she looked for the salmon haired idiot and only saw Happy.

Happy looked at the grave with a blank expression, "He wanted to be alone..."

Mirajane felt a spark of anger in her, "I can...understand that but why didn't he show up if just to see her grave?"

"He didn't say.."

Remember that spark? It was now a wildfire...

Mirajane clenched a fist with her hand before turning around and walking in the direction of Natsu's house, "Well then maybe I'll get an answer. He's at your home?"

"No.."

"Then where?!"

Happy sighed as he looked down at the ground, "The hut Lisanna made to hatch me.."

And just like that Mirajane's wildfire was dowsed with ice cold water

* _Outside of Magnolia - Lisanna's and Natsu Childhood Hut - Late Afternoon/Early Evening*_

Natsu laid in the center of the hut staring at roof..He continually replayed the events of less than a week ago trying to see what he could've done to save her.

He was so deep in thought that he didn't noticed someone walking towards the small entrance until..

"You in there?"

Natsu lifted his head to see a pair of legs clad in black pants and black shoes.

"Depends on who's asking.."

The person crouched down and looked into the entrance revealing it was Mirajane, "Me, pinkie."

"Salmon...and why are you here?"

"Wanted to know where you were...Can I come in?"

Natsu shrugged as he interlocked his hands behind his head and returned his eyeline to the roof, "Sure.." He then heard a rustling of hay, grass, and some grumble which caused him to chuckle quietly.

Mirajane sighed as she laid down a foot away from him, "That entrance need enlarging..."

Natus smirked, "Yeah but it wouldn't be the same.."

"I see...So why weren't you at the funeral?"

He points out of the hut, "I was busy...I'm assuming you saw the stone just outside?"

Mirajane nods, "Yes. What is it?"

"Lisanna's grave.."

Mirajane blinked before raising an eyebrow, "What?"

"Or at least where I believe it should be..."

"Ignoring the fact you made a second grave. Why here of all places?"

Natsu noticed the sunlight was changing, "She loved the sunset...So now she can watch it whenever she wants..."

Mirajane stared at Natsu with a slight surprised expression before muttering, "You loved her, didn't you?"

Natsu looked at Mirajane out of the corner of his eye before chuckling, "Yes..I did."

"Then why didn't you ask her out?"

"Simple. She didn't see me like that."

Mirajane blinked, "Wait what?"

Natsu turned his head to look at her with both eyes, "You didn't know that?"

"No I just thought with how much time she spends with you...

Natsu nodded, "Yea well never judge by appearances..."

They entered a peaceful silence as the sun continued to set before Mira sighed, "So may I ask who held her heart?"

Natsu didn't outwardly show it but he mentally cringed, "You'll laugh."

"Try me."

"Bickslow."

A memory of Bickslow appeared in her head, "Bickslow?"

"Yep."

"The ridiculously tall man who dresses in purple and plays with souls?"

"Yes."

Mirajane blinked before chuckling, "Well I'll be damned."

Natsu nodded before returning his attention to the ceiling, "Yep...Anything else you want to know about your sister that you somehow didn't know?"

Mirajane smirked.

They continue swapping facts and tales until they were both dosed off.

* _Next Morning*_

Natsu groaned as he woke up. He tried to sit up but the weight on him...

Natsu's eyes snapped open, _"What the?!"_

He looked down and saw a white mop of hair. He gulped at the sight, _"Whelp...I had a good life.."_

For on the right side of his chest was Mirajane Strauss's, the She-Devil's, head. Her hair somehow worked it way out of the ponytail and Natsu absently noted in his head, _'Why does she wear it in a ponytail?'_

A light breeze entered the hut and Mira wrapped her right arm across Natsu's torso and pulled him closer as if to try to fight the cold air. Natsu blushed as he felt Mira's um...assets press into him and muttered, "Sooo dead..."

He glanced at Mira and started to calm down...only for his survival instincts to go off the charts as Mirajane shifted and grumbled something. She opened her eye and looked up noticing Natsu. "Morning..." She said sleepily.

He would of responded but he felt Mirajane tense slightly.

"Natsu..."

Natsu's instincts...

"Yes?"

"I'll give you one minute to run.."

...And Mira's warning were all he needed to hightail it out of there. He quickly wormed his out of her grasp and as quickly as possible got out of the hut.

A short time after Natsu left the hut, Mira crawled out and stretch before sighing. She grabbed her hair and put it back into a ponytail, _'Can't believe I slept here...'_

A light breeze sent shiver up her back, "Damn how didn't I wake up from the cold.."

A small part of her mind knew how she slept so soundly but the rest of it squashed the knowledge...for now.

* * *

Fakhouri: "Anywho...I'm just going to make it clear I won't go into great detail on times before canon starts. It will be important and or defining moments in their relationship the fluff quite a few of you are hoping for will hopefully appear within my writing. So review, like, follow, NO FLAMES, and until next time..."

 **JA NE!**


End file.
